It Could Be Sweet
by Tsar Bomba
Summary: It was fleeting, unknowable, improbable. A risk and a challenge, but perhaps the trial is worth the reward. And Shepard has never really been one to not take chances. Female Shepard/Shiala oneshot. Rated M for smut and Aethyta's dirty mouth.


Well, so apparently writing Space Age hasn't been enough to sate my little asari obsession. For you guys reading that you may recall that I promised a little Shiala/FemShep smuttiness, so here it is. Not really much of a plot I guess. And this is probably going to be horrible or at least amusing in terms of erotic excellence but _what the hell_ I'm gonna make you poor bastards read it anyways.

By the way I wrote this in about 25 minutes buzzed and saucy and didn't really spell check so I'm incredibly sorry for that. Here goes nothing.

* * *

Vera Shepard struggled to keep her focus on her terminal, her eyes glazing over the words, completely uncomprehending, as her mind instead shifted once more as she glanced at the airlock.

The touch had been fleeting. The smile was shy and uncertain. It was a look of youthful innocence and attraction that had seemed so foreign coming from a seasoned commando-turned-colonial ambassador. Shepard was used to ignoring flirting from others, harmless as it usually was, but Shiala had seemed so painfully genuine and hopeful that Shepard wanted to kick herself in the shin for just standing there like some mute idiot while the asari had walked away, embarrassed.

Vera shook her head. The whole thought was stupid. She was lonely, that was all. And this should be expected when your ex-girlfriend ditches you for her job and some drell and becomes crazy and vindictive and-

She took a breath. Pining and ranting over Liara was pointless. She had moved on, and it was time for Vera to do the same. Once again her eyes were drawn to the airlock. They were going to staying at Nos Astra for another couple of nights anyways to run maintenance on the Normandy, why waste it rotting in here? Especially when she couldn't focus on the messages littering her inbox in the first place. Not with Kelly babbling next to her.

Of course, there was always the chance that Shiala was long gone. Already flying back to Feros. Yes, that chance existed, but casually looking for her at Eternity, grabbing a drink and maybe swapping more stories with Aethyta sounded more tempting than dealing with the chatty yeoman or her clogged terminal any longer.

She left Kelly hanging mid-sentence, offering only a quick apology as she walked to the airlock and breathed deep when the cool Illium air hit her face. Shuttles zoomed through the sky and the distant lights of impossible skyscrapers pierced the black space. The night life was awakening. Vera walked through the trading floor, struggling to keep her gaze from wavering towards the massive window that stood as the back wall to Liara's office. Vera sniffed but kept her eyes forward. To hell with it, she thought, her pace quickening as she moved up the stairs towards Eternity, the beat of the music slowly growing in her ears. The place wasn't Afterlife, but at least she wasn't going to be poisoned by a pissed off Batarian here.

Then again, she wouldn't put it past Aethyta to try something like that just for the hell of it.

Vera felt a grin starting to come across her face as she grew excited for what should be an enjoyable evening, but she froze as she finally entered the bar as her eyes settled on the man in front of her. "Oh, god damn it."

Conrad Verner was standing in front of the counter, rambling loudly while Aethyta stood with her arms crossed on the other side. To his left, to Shepard's delight, was Shiala, who looked to be on the verge of throttling the man with her bare hands. Aethyta didn't look too far off from holding similar sentiments, but her rather violent expression quickly turned to one of hope when she noticed Shepard standing there. "Well, thank the hanar's tiny tits."

Conrad spun and his own eyes grew huge when he saw who had drawn the Matriarch's attention away from him. "Shepard? Wow! I can't believe you're actually here! Everyone was saying you were dead! Do you remember me? From the Citadel?"

His voice became a muddled stream of sound as Vera glared at him. "Conrad, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Living the extreme life!" he yelled, pumping his fist up and down. "It was you who taught me this! When you shoved that gun in my face! Now I know what it's like to be a bad ass, all thanks to you! You have no idea how proud my wife was of me when I told her what I was gonna do. Chasing down the villians, taking action! She even paid for my shuttle fare!"

Behind him, Aethyta slapped her forehead with her own hand, her eyes nearly rolling to the back of her head in disbelief. Shiala watched in silence, waiting to see what Shepard was going to do. Unfortunately for Conrad, Vera's temper had snapped before she had even walked into the bar, and once again he was looking down the barrel of her gun.

"Oh no not again!"

The crack of a gunshot reverberated through Eternity, and Conrad collapsed to the floor, wailing as he held his foot in his hands.

"Ahhhhhh! You shot my foot! You shot a hole through my foot! Owwww oww owwww!"

Aethyta peered over the bar, frowning in disgust at the man as he rolled around in pain. "You big baby. That bullet barely grazed you."

"I know but it scared me! I'm not used to this yet! I'm new to this badass thing you know!"

Vera shook her head, completely incapable of feeling remorse or pity for the man. "Conrad, get the hell out of here before I stick a bullet up a bit higher."

Aethyta whistled. "Brutal. I don't think you want that, bud."

A few more mutterings and the man hobbled off, leaving a thin trail of blood behind him. Very gave Aethyta an apologetic look. "Sorry. People always seem to start bleeding whenever I go anywhere," she said flatly, and Aethyta grinned.

"Trust me babe, it would have been a whole lot nastier than that if you hadn't shown up." She nodded to Shiala. "Between her and I, that poor dumb ass is lucky we didn't beat him to death with his own spine."

Vera moved to take a seat next to Shiala, who seemed to have lost a lot of her previous bravado now that Shepard was there. Still, she gave her a small grin. "I figured you had to head out. You know, for your mission to save humanity or whatever."

Vera returned the grin with one of her own, attempting to mask her own sudden nervousness. "Wanted a drink for the road." This was a lie, of course. One that Aethyta picked up on rather quickly as she gave Vera a coy grin. Vera threw her a warning glare but the Matriarch ignored it and stuck a glass in front of her. The bright drink was met with a look of distrust. "Aethyta, what the hell is that?"

"It's on the house. Least I could do considering you got that ass out of here."

"Well sure, that was expected." Vera said. Aethyta snorted and shook her head, grabbing her rag to wipe the already spotless bar. "But what is it?"

"Oh come on, that would take away from the fun."

Vera gave Shiala a sideways look, a wicked idea appearing in her mind. "I'll drink it if you'll have one too."

The green asari shook her head quickly, giving the purple drink an equally distrusting glance. "No way in hell. She must have mixed ten different things in there."

Aethyta threw her arms up in the air. "You two are the biggest pansies I've met. You'll shoot a guy in the foot without a second thought but you won't drink the damn drink? I expected more, Shepard."

Damn it. Aethyta knew that Vera couldn't turn down a challenge like that. Shiala wasn't too keen on taking that kind of abuse either. Both of the women gave each other a look and nodded. Without a word, Aethyta poured another drink and stuck the glass in front of Shiala.

Vera sighed dramatically, giving Aethyta a glare. "I swear, if I die again because of this..."

"You'll just have Cerberus build you up again. Now shut up and drink."

"Bottoms up," Shiala said with a tone of finality, and the two knocked back their glasses.

* * *

The soft haze of Eternity's lights seemed to glow as Vera and Shiala sat there, both leaning heavily on the bar for support. Shiala held her head up with her hand, so half of her face was warped in a cockeyed expression that made Vera nearly start giggling whenever she looked at her.

"So then... ha... he, he looks at me. This little volus. He looks at me and he starts yelling. 'I will tear her apart! My biotics are unstoppable! And, and he turns and bends down, like he's about to take off like some little fat bullet. And he says 'An ill wind blows across Wasea! Captain of the Eclipse sisters. After ME!'"

"Holy bag of dicks," Aethyta gasps between laughs, bending over the counter as Shepard tells her story. Shiala is laughing so hard that she nearly falls off her stool, only avoiding the floor because Vera catches her by the arm. Even in her state, she can feel a nice warmth spread through her as the asari leans against her side. Shiala rolls her head to look up at her, still laughing. "What... oh goddess, what happened next? What did you say?"

After Vera rights Shiala, she knocks back the remainder of her fourth drink and forces her face into a serious and dramatic expression, and she waves her free arm out in front of her. "CHARGE!"

The three women explode in laughter, Shiala finally losing her battle with gravity as she crashes to the floor, still holding her stomach and gasping for air.

"Aw, hell," Aethyta says, glancing over the counter at the green asari before shifting her gaze to Shepard. "Can you get her back to her hotel room? I think she's done."

Aethyta's look is once again coy and knowing, but this time Vera doesn't notice. "Yeah, yeah I can get her back." Leaning down, barely able to hold herself up, she manages to swing Shiala's arm over her shoulders and get her to her feet even though both of them are still laughing.

"You coming back tomorrow?" Aethyta called from the bar, moving to put up the glasses.

"I'll be lucky if I'm still alive tomorrow!" Vera shouts over her shoulder, hitting a wall hard with her shoulder as she staggers towards the door. The stairs were nearly impossible to navigate, but as they left the warmth of the bar, the chilly night air somewhat sharpened both of the women's senses. Shiala looked at Vera, her smile guilty. "Sorry for making a mess of myself. I don't drink all that often. I can... I can probably get back to the hotel room on my own... if you needed to... get back to the ship, or anything."

The last half of her sentence was quiet, but also hopeful. Vera swallowed, but shook her head. "Nah, I'll walk you back. And don't apologize, that was fun as hell."

"Ha, yeah. Yeah it was."

The two fell silent as they reached the elevator, both leaning back on the wall to steady their spinning vision. Shiala's head rolled to the side, and there was the smile again. Shy but oddly confident. Most of all, optimistic. And overwhelmingly attractive on the asari's pretty face.

Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the notion that Vera once again felt desired, wanted for more than her combative prowess. Perhaps both. Either way, it didn't matter once she leaned over and pressed her lips on Shiala's, the pressure firm but gentle. Uncertain yet needy and wanting. Searching.

They breathed against each other, Shiala's hands on Shepard's face while the Commander gently held Shiala by the back of her head, her fingers barely brushing the delicate folds at the nape of her skull, and Shiala gasped into Vera's mouth. The doors slid open and they stumbled out, unaware and uncaring of anyone who may or may not be watching. Not once did they separate as they staggered down the hallway, bumping against walls and doors until they finally reached Shiala's room.

Shiala could barely concentrate on unlocking the door while Vera stood behind her, her hands on her hips and her lips at her neck. Finally the door beeped and slid open, barely in time for the women to stagger in and fall on the bed. Shiala ran her hands down Vera's back, pulling impatiently at whatever clothing she could grasp. Vera leaned back and grinned, moving her lips to Shiala's throat once more and running her mouth down the increasingly available plane of green skin. Shiala arched back against the bed, sighing in annoyance as Vera pulled back long enough to remove her the rest of Shiala's clothing and her own jacket. But this wasn't enough for Shiala, who flipped the other woman over and ripped impatiently at the fabric that covered the Commander's flushed skin. "You're not going fast enough."

Vera laughed into Shiala's mouth, conceding power momentarily while the asari touched her, the feelings of her fingers against her shoulders, her ribs, the curve of her breast leaving her breathless. Shiala pulled back, her eyes looking hard into Vera's. "I want to meld with you. I want all of it." Shepard nodded excitedly, looking deep into the asari's gaze as her eyes turned black. The words on her lips were rushed and whispery. "Embrace eternity."

It was overwhelming cascade of emotion. Attraction reaching back to their first meeting. Shiala's innocent desire and Vera's biting loneliness disappearing as the meld grew deeper. It was beautiful, wild, and the women felt nearly overloaded as their touches shock them like electricity, sending impulses rushing across their flesh. But then the hold began to falter, the clarity wavering like a puff of smoke in wind, and Shiala blinked in confusion as the meld died completely. A deep blush filled her cheeks as she looked down, embarrassed and completely unable to meet Vera's eyes until a soft hand touched her cheek. "It's the Thorian, isn't it?"

Shiala sighed. "I had known that my biotics were unstable, but I didn't... I had no idea it would affect me like this." She sounded so frustrated and hurt. "I'm so sorry Vera, I..."

"Hey." Vera said and Shiala looked at her, a thin film of tears starting to fill her eyes. "Shiala, it's not your fault. And besides, we'll just do it the old-fashioned way."

A wicked grin filled Vera's face and she flipped Shiala over on her back, moving one hand to hold the back of the asari's head while the other traced lazily down her body, flitting over her curves and bringing a moan to Shiala's lips. Carefully Vera stroked the insides of Shiala's thighs, feeling heat as she slowly moved farther up the trembling leg. Shiala's own hands moved of her own free will, working down Vera's body with fleeting touches as they drifted closer to her center. Without warning Vera ran a finger along the slit, and Shiala bit back a gasp, suddenly feeling brave and reaching foward, smirking when her fingers found Vera's core.

A rhythm was set, both women fully giving into each other and desire. The motions of their bodies moved in unison, running along each other and leaving a trail of sparks where they touched. Shiala felt her her biotic energy growing, and in a split decision forced Vera into another meld. It was not gentle, but powerful and sudden, eliciting a melodic moan from both women as they became one. The impulses were nearly violent, both strong and overwhelmingly forceful. It was unstable, wild, nearly too much, and nearly too soon the sheer physical rush sent both women over the edge, their climaxes leaving them shuddering as they collapsed onto the bed.

They lay there silently, both slowly coming down from their high but neither one of them willing to untangle their limbs from the other. Vera rolled onto her side, brining Shiala with her as a sudden heaviness overtook her eyelids, her vision turning black while the asari looked into her face with wonder and far more than attraction.

* * *

"Maybe, when this is all over..."

But Shiala was silenced by Vera's lips on her own, the kiss sweet and gentle and so unlike the night before. Shiala grinned and let her arms wrap around the human's waist. She really really didn't want to let go, but flights to Feros weren't easy to book, and this was her only ship off Illium for weeks.

Vera smiled, meeting the asari's brown eyes and realizing that this was far more than a one night stand. And she was okay with that.

"I'll find you." Vera said, her words a promise, not empty but truthful, and Shiala believed her, and both women left Nos Astra feeling like they suddenly had much more to live for. But until then, Shiala would look longingly into the cold sky, and until then, Vera would glance at her galaxy map every once in a while, wondering how much time it would take for a quick trip to Feros, neither one of them forgetting the other.


End file.
